Events

Aerostats to Drones
Feb. 3, 2016 - Feb. 5, 2016, Rome, Italy

2nd International Conference of Aerial Archaeology

A few years after the 1st International Conference of Aerial Archaeology (Rome, 15-16 April 2009), the Laboratory of Ancient Topography and Photogrammetry (LABTAF) of the University of Salento, together with Ghent University (Belgium) and the University of Cassino, will organise a second event at the prestigious seat of the Academia Belgica in Rome, with the aim of rounding up the newest trends and acquisitions in the field of aerial survey and remote sensing in Archaeology.

Hoping to give a fairly representative view of what are the main attitudes and basic methodologies that drive the Italian and international scene, our goal is to set up a dynamic meeting, open not only to the small circle of archaeologists, but extended to a wider public of specialists.

The Conference will be divided in four sessions:

Session 1: state of the art, pioneering research and historical aerial imagery;

Session 3: presentation of projects which make systematic use of aerial photo interpretation.

Session 4: entitled “Drones in Archaeology” will be devoted to applications of UAVs and new technologies connected to their use, with case-studies from Italy and abroad.

UAVs (or drones) are experiencing a growing exploitation thanks to the easy use and their low cost. A wide range of models and types is available on the market, but only few of them are suitable for scientific applications in the sector of Cultural Heritage. After the first pioneering applications, mainly focused on photogrammetic aerial survey, the use of UAVs extended to topographical survey and geomatics, 3D scanning, technical architectural drawing, mapping and monitoring of sites and of wider regions, turning them into very useful instruments for data-capturing, site management, documentation, environmental heritage preservation and management. UAVs became tools for producing detailed documentation in a short time and with low cost, and for efficient mapping of archaeological and architectural heritage, offering a diversified scale and resolution for every specific need. Furthermore, they have become more and more instruments for detection and survey.